1. Field
The present disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for automatic stage scene detection. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to automatically detecting a stage scene and adjusting exposure to capture an image of the stage scene.
2. Introduction
Presently, people take pictures and videos using portable devices that have cameras. Such portable devices can include smartphones, tablet computers, flip phones, point and shoot cameras, DSLR cameras, laptop computers, and other portable devices that include cameras. These devices include automatic exposure control algorithms that automatically sets the exposure so the pictures and videos show proper illumination of the subject matter in a scene.
Unfortunately, automatic exposure control algorithms cannot account for stage scenes where a portion of a scene is brightly illuminated and the rest of the scene is dark. For example, performers on stage at a concert or in a club are brightly illuminated while the audience and surrounding areas are kept dark to focus the audience's attention on the performers. When an attendee attempts to take a picture, their device will consider both the dark areas and the light areas when setting the exposure of the camera. Because the camera sensor has a limited sensitivity range, both the light areas and the dark areas cannot be properly exposed at the same time. This results in the light area of the captured image being overblown and the dark area being underexposed when the device averages out the exposure of the two areas. This happens because the device does not know the scene is a stage scene where the subject of the scene is illuminated drastically brighter than the surrounding area.
Thus, there is a need for a method and apparatus for automatic stage scene detection.